The Long Wait and the Hard Choice
The final deadlines for application are generally the end of January; financial aid applications are due in January and February. You won’t hear about whether or not your student was offered admission until the middle of March. It is a long wait for some families to hear the news. The main tip for this time period: make sure and get your public school enrollment paperwork in order. Families need to cover both private and public school options to ensure a good school in the fall.
In March, you will receive decisions from each school. The student might be accepted, waitlisted, or denied. You might receive multiple offers of admission, or none. Make sure to communicate with the admissions offices during this time if you are accepting their offer. There is generally a two week time period to confirm admission. If they don’t hear from you they may offer your spot to a waitlisted student. If you are waitlisted and want to remain in consideration, make sure and communicate that too. If the student is denied, you will certainly be disappointed. It is wise to meet with the admission director to understand why you received this decision. Remember that even though you were denied you could be admitted in subsequent years. It is important to put your student into the school that is the best fit for them long-term.
